Ex-pat family life with crochet, arts & crafts thrown in.

Friday photo challenge (week 45) Remembrance

As we prepare for Remembrance Sunday this weekend, Remembrance is a fitting theme for this week’s Friday photo challenge.

This year, our attention is drawn to World War One, as it’s 100 years ago this year that it came to an end on Armistice Day. To mark this, there’s a special exhibition on in Gibraltar at the moment to remember the Rock’s involvement in the conflict.

Since arriving in Gibraltar almost a decade ago, I’ve become aware of the role of the Rock in the Battle of Trafalgar, and of course, in the Second World War, but naively didn’t realise it’s involvement in WW1.

It was strategically important for fueling ships, treating injured servicemen and transporting supplies.

Hundreds of injured troops were transported from Gallipoli in Turkey to Gibraltar, to be treated in the military hospital.

Among the exhibition is the story of local Gibraltarian soldier Manuel Peralta, who fought, was injured and then fell in love with his nurse. They later went on to marry.

Royal Gibraltar Artillery 1914

This wonderful exhibition by the Gibraltar National Archives gives a much deeper understanding of the effect of WW1 on Gibraltar as well as its role in supporting the wider war effort across Europe.

Out and about, Gibraltar has its own war memorials, this one (above) was built following WW1, but now serves as a memorial for the fallen in both World Wars.

The American Steps memorial (above) was built by the United States to remember its servicemen who were lost when the US Navy ship USS Chauncey was hit in the Strait of Gibraltar.

Oh my word Sandra, what a powerful post. I felt very emotional reading it. This year, we visited the grave of my husband’s great, great uncle who died aged 18 in WW1. We have very little information about him other than he was buried at home, so must have been sent home with injuries or illness. Very little was spoken about him in his family, presumably because it was too painful. It’s when you hear the personal stories that the true horror of war is apparent. Thank you so much for sharing it your family’s story. X